Recovery Works Summit 2017

The Recovery Works Summit 2017, held on September 13, 2017, was a great day in so many ways; a turnout of attendees even greater than last year’s, networking among mental health and substance use recovery community members, advocates and professionals, uplifting and informative sessions with state and local leaders, and, most importantly, a shared sense of purpose and commitment that Recovery Works.

We want to thank the staff and supporters of Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association and the Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations – Alliance, who worked for months to make the Summit a major success. We thank the meeting planners, Meeting Well, LLC, for the behind-the-scenes effort that made this come together. We also thank MasseyNet.com, Inc. for communications and TicketLeap work. We also appreciated the recovery quilts created by both communities and hung in the main ballroom.

There is much work ahead of us to maintain the momentum that was generated but first, let’s take a few moments to stand back and savor our achievements.

The Recovery Works Summit started us on a path to become national leaders in mental health and substance abuse community collaboration. The vital energy that we all felt must be harnessed and directed toward our common goals of recovery, empowerment, and recognition of the value of lived experience best air mattress.

One of the most uplifting aspects of the day was the courage and passion of the speakers and the participants. Many people shared their stories about how their own recovery works. The experiences shared during the Summit, and particularly in the panel presentation From Handcuffs to Paychecks brought tears to the eyes of many and realization that there is hope even in the toughest of life’s experiences. There was a strong recognition from everyone that we are the experts in recovery, and that our shared, lived experiences are the foundation for healthy, productive lives and a vibrant behavioral health system.

The next steps are up to all of us. Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association and the Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations – Alliance are committed to continuing this crucial collaboration, even without a grant from the Substance for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. We need all of you to contribute your energy, your advocacy and your recovery stories to continuing our collaboration to promote recovery and to combat stigma.

We are looking forward to seeing you all again as we continue down the road to recovery.